Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

T. WHITLOCK.

CARPET STRETGHBR.

No. 547,311. Patented 001.1, 1895.

WIWI

Witnesses:

AN DREW uan/:MAM PHGYD-LITHQWASNI NGTON.B C

frs

THOMAS VI'IITLOCK, OF I-IOMER, ILLINOIS.

cA'RPEnsTRl-:Tctma SECIFCATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,31 1, dated October 1, 1895.

Application tiled July 9, 1895.

.To all whom. t may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS WHITLOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at I-Iomer, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use Aful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descripion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ot reference marked thereon, which form a part ofA this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in carpet-stretchers; and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which shall be simple in construction and which will admit of the purchase on the carpet being held taut while the tacks are being driven, after which the toggle-joint may be broken and the stretcher released from its hold.

A further object of the invention resides in the peculiar construction of the stretcher, which will admit of the adj ustability of the handle, which is made up of sections with suitable ferrule connections, one of the said ferrules being broken away on its upper side, so as to admit of the toggle movement of the sections. The locking mechanism forholding the purchase taut consists of a ferrule pivoted to a portion of the stretcher, and under which ferrule a wedge shaped block is designed to tit and disposed over the free end of an extensible section, a suitable thumbhold being provided on the ferrule, by which the wedge may be easily and quickly removed.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically delined in the appended claims.

I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of my speciication, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which-mb Figure l is a perspective view of my improved stretcher as applied to a carpet be-= Serial No. 555,424.. (No model.)

fore the toggle-joint is depressed. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the toggle-joint depressed and the holding device in place. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the fer-rules. Fig. 4 is a detail of a t'errule having a portion of its upper wall cut away.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the head of the stretcher, which is provided on its lower side with a series of teeth B, and C is a section of the stretcher-handle, which is hinged to the head at D, the end of the said section being normally held against the edge of the head when the stretcher is holding its purchase. The opposite end of said section is bifurcated, preferably about one-half of its length, and the section F, having a series of perforations f, is pivoted therein by means of the pin G.

H and I are extensible sections by which the handle may be lengthened out, as maybe desired, and both are connected together by ferrules h and t', the latter of which t' has onehalf of its upper wall broken away, so as to allow of a slight vertical movement to one ot' the sections held therein while the carpet is being stretched.

To hold the purchase on the carpet, I provide the clevis K, which has perforations near its ends, through which the pin G. passes, leaving a sutticient space between the upper bend of the ferrule and the face of the section C to receive'the wedge M, which is inserted thereunder when it is desired to hold the carpet taut. N is a thumb-hold on the upper edge of said clevis by which the wedge may be easily removed.

The operation of the stretcher is as follows: The head of the stretcher being caught'into the carpet, the extensible handle-sections are placed together, as many as are desired, the end section being placed against the wall of the room, as shown in Fig. l, forming the tog` gie-joint at the bifurcated end of the section C, and the stretching is accomplished by depressing the sections, and to hold the purchase the wedge-shaped block is placed un-s der the clevis and the purchase held securely.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with the head of the ICO stretcher carrying a series of hooks, a handle C hinged to said head, a strip H pivoted between the bifureated ends of said handle, a @levis pvoted near said bifureated end and a wedge adapted to beA inserted under said elevis, substantially as described.

2. In a carpet stretcher, the combination of the head, the handle C, bifureated at one end, the strip I-I and @levis pivoted to the bifur- Io cated ends, a thumb hold integral with said clevis, and a wedge adapted to be slid under said clevis, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS WHITLOOK. Witnesses:

JOHN WINTERS, JESS EwIN. 

